BLAIRMONT – Purposeful medium-fast bowling from Christopher Barnwell followed up a half-century from Leon Johnson to help Guyana reach the semi-finals of the Regional Super50 tournament, formally knocking co-defending champions Barbados out following a 48-run victory yesterday.
Barnwell collected four wickets for 43 runs from eight overs, trumping Patrick Browne’s guts-or-glory 66, as Barbados were dismissed for 178 in their crucial Group A match at the Blairmont Estate.
Barnwell formalised the result with 30 balls remaining, when tailender Sulieman Benn was caught at long-on much to the delight of the few dozen spectators who bothered to attend.
The result meant that Guyana finished at the top of the group with 12 points and advanced to the Final Four, where they will play the runner-up from Group B on Wednesday in the first semi-final under lights at the Guyana National Stadium.
They condemned Barbados, joint champions last year with Leeward Islands, to an early return home after having played just this game in full.
Their earlier games, against the West Indies High Performance Centre and the Windward Islands were rained out.
The HPC were the other semi-final qualifiers.
Johnson stroked 66, Steven Jacobs 38 and Barnwell 37 to lead the Guyanese to 226 for nine from their allocation of 50 overs after they were put in to bat.
Fast-medium bowler Javon Searles captured three for 24 from five overs, while the left-arm spin duo of Benn and Ryan Hinds grabbed two wickets apiece.
When Barbados began their reply, Jacobs started things, bowling his off-spin, and got early success in the third over, when Dale Richards was adjudged lbw for six.
Hinds and fellow left-hander Jonathan Carter fell to fast-medium bowler Paul Wintz for seven and a duck, respectively, leaving Barbados wobbling on 18 for three and the bowler on a hat-trick.
Williams averted the immediate danger, but Barbados ran into further difficulty when opener Rashidi Boucher was caught at point for 13, giving Barnwell his first scalp.
Dwayne Smith made only three before Barnwell bowled him, Barbados sinking to 47 for five.
Browne joined Williams and the St Catherine clubmates added 30 for the sixth wicket before Williams was caught behind for 30 off Guyana captain Assad Fudadin, bowling medium-pace.
Javon Searles was caught behind off Royston Crandon’s uncomplicated off-spin for eight, leaving Barbados 92 for seven.
New West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite made a defiant 25, adding 59 for eighth wicket with Browne to add some beef to the total.
The pair took the occasional boundary coupled with a steady stream of singles that pushed the Guyanese onto their heels a bit.
Browne posted his 50 from 94 deliveries before Brathwaite was spectacularly caught at mid-on by a leaping Crandon off Barnwell to effectively end Barbados’ challenge, leaving them 166 for eight.
Earlier, Guyana’s innings ebbed with little stability, although Johnson was the glue that held things together.
He reached his 50 from 93 deliveries, celebrating by pulling a short delivery from Tino Best over mid-wicket for his lone six.
He was caught at short fine leg sweeping at Hinds, leaving Barnwell and Jacobs to carry the hosts to a respectable total with some lusty, lower-order hitting.
The tournament continues today, when Trinidad and Tobago face Jamaica at this venue in a match that could ultimately decide the Group B winners, and the embattled co-defending champions Leeward Islands meet Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Guyana National Stadium. (CMC)
